Ice-creeper.



C. R. SEYBERT.

ICE CREEPER.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.16,1915.

1,140507 5. Patented M 18, 1915.

51% .5 .947. B! (2.6. M W y A TTORNE V.

THE NORRIS PETERS 60., PHOTO-LITHOU WASHINGTON, D. C.

UITE STTES CHARLES R. SEYBERT, F SYRACUSE, NEW YORK.

IGE-CREEPER- To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES R. SEYBERT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Syracuse, in the county of Onondaga and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ice-Creepers, of whichthe following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in ice-creepers, designed for attachment to boots and shoes, and has for its object to provide a novel, simple, effective andconvenient creeping device, which is made of suitable metal and is readily attachable to the heels of the ordinary foot-wear. I

A further object is to provide a horseshoe-shaped ice-creeper which is applied to the bottom or tread face of the heel of a shoe, and which is provided with a plurality of spikes of different lengths the said spikes being arranged in staggered rows around the beveled outer sides of the horse-shoe in position to engage the ice when the foot rolls or turns to either side or rearwardly for preventing the wearer from skidding or falling. The said spikes approach close to the plane of thetread of the heel of the shoe, but do not form a part of the tread, and the creepers may therefore be permanently attached to the heels and constantly worn without danger of efi'acing or marring floors, or carets.

p The various features and parts of the invention will be understood from the de tailed description which follows, and by reference to the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a bottom plan view of the heel portion of a boot or shoe, to which my improved ice-creeper is applied. Fig. 2 is a top-plan view of the creeper. Fig. 3 is a central longitudinal section, taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a front end elevation of the creeper. Fig. 5 is a top-plan view of a modified form of creeper. Fig. 6 is a vertical cross-section, taken on line 66 of Fig. 5.

In the drawing, 2 represents the heel of a boot or shoe 3. My improved ice-creeper comprises a metal body or plate 4, which is preferably made of iron or steel, in theform of a horse-shoe, to conform in a general way to the shape of the heels of boots or shoes. The top face 5 of the plate 4, is preferably flat, so as to permit the plate to be firmly and solidly mounted upon the tread face of I I Specification of Letters Patent. Patented May Application filed January 16, 1915. Serial 0. 2,711.

the heel. The under or exposed sides the body 4 are beveled, as at 6, the said bevel's lnclining toward the middle of the heel.

The body 4 is preferably slightly narrower and shorterthan the heel 2, and is disposed thereon in such manner as to leave a narrow margin, as 7, all around the outer edge of i the creeper, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The

creeper 4 is preferably permanently attached to the heel 2 by means of screws 8. To prevent the wearers foot to which the creeper is applied, from skidding. or slipping, while traveling over icy roads or pavements, the beveled surfaces 6 are provided with a number or rows of spikes, 9 and 10, all of which are preferably; integral with the plate 4. These spikes are preferably disposed at right angles to the beveled surfaces 6,-and the spikes of the several rows are preferably staggered. The spikes 9 are the shortest, as they are disposed nearest to the inner edge 4? ofthe plate, while the spikes 10v are disposed near the outeredge and are the longest. The points or free endsof all of the spikes 9 and 10" are preferably disposed in the same plane, slightly above and parallel to the plane'of the tread face of the heel and creeper, so that the wearer may walk or tread freely upon smooth floors, carpets and the like, without danger of the spikes marring or injuring the same. The spikes 9 and 10 are intended more particularly for arresting the foot, when it rolls or turns on the slippery roads or walks, and said spikes are so a of the spikes 9 and 10 into contact with the ice, and the spikes being somewhat pointed readily pierce the ice and either instantly stop, or else greatly retard the dangerous or accidental movements of the foot.

When applying the creepers to the heels of boots or shoes, one or two of the leather taps or layers of the heel are first removed. This is done so as not to unduly increase the height of the heel when the creeper is applied. After the creeper 4 is secured to the heel, a filler consisting of one or more taps of smaller area, as 11 and 11 is fitted into the bight .or hollow space between the arms of the body 4, and the last tap, 11, is preferably brought flush with the tread edge 4. By this arrangement,the

tread surface of the heel remains substan- 11o tially level or flat, and affords the usual broad and firm bearing for the heel portion of the boot.

In Figs. 5 and 6, I have illustrated a modification of the invention, in which the body comprises two parts, as 12 and 12, which are pivotally joined by a bolt or pin 13, for forming a horse-shoe-shaped device, similar to Figs. 1 and 2. This modified device is intended to clamp onto the heel, instead of being secured by the screws 8. For this purpose I provide an upwardly projecting flange 14, the top of which has a relatively sharp inturned edge or flange 15, which may be forced into the leather comprising the heel of the shoe, as best seen in Fig. 6. To apply this form of the device to a heel, the parts 12 and 12 are first spread apart, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 5, and then the said parts are closed over the corner of the heel, the flat top portion of the body being held firmly against the face of the heel, while the free ends are moved toward each other with suflicient force for embedding the flange 15 into the leather, as described. In order to securely hold the creeper 1212 in place, the ends of the body are provided with clips or arms 16 and 16, which are arranged to over-lap each other, when the body is closed against the sides of the heel, and then a screw or nail 17 is driven through suitable perforations in the clips and into the heel, which holds the creeper firmly in place. By this construction and arrangement of the device, it may be readily and quickly applied and removed, and but one fastener, as 17, is employed for holding it in place. The under sides of the body of the modified device are beveled, at 6', and these beveled surfaces are provided with similar spikes, as 9' and 10 for preventing skidding, as described.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. An ice-creeper, comprising a horseshoe-shaped body having a flat surface for engaging the tread-face of a heel, and having its undersides beveled, and a plurality of spikes projecting at right angles from said beveled surfaces, said spikes arranged in staggered rows and the spikes of the several rows being of different lengths.

2. An ice-creeper for attachment to the heel of a shoe, including a body having the general shape of a horse-shoe, the upper face of said body being flat for engaging the tread surface of the heel, the under face of said body being beveled toward the middle of the heel, and a plurality of spikes of different lengths projecting from said beveled surface.

3. An ice-creeper for attachment to the heels of boots and shoes, comprising a horseshoe-shaped body, one face of which engages the tread-face of the heel, the other face being beveled toward the middle of the heel, spikes projecting from the beveled face of the body, the free ends of said spikes all terminating in a common plane parallel to the plane of the tread of the heel, and a filler disposed in the bight of the body "flush with the tread edge of the body.

In testimony whereof I afiiX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES R. SEYBERT.

WVitnesses HERMAN H, ScrIoPFER, HARRY DE WALLACE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0.. 

